Cœur tendre
by Batblade1.0
Summary: Many months had passed since the unofficial food war against two aspiring student chefs. Back then, he was only simply reminded of being a decent person at heart. However, a completely unexpected encounter brought on by fate will truly force a sensation of warmth that world-class chef Shinomiya Kojiro did not know he could have ever possessed.
1. Chapter 1

Cœur Tendre

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**I do not own Shokugeki no Soma anime and manga or any of the in-series characters. Just my OC's. Please support the official releases of the franchise's manga, anime etc. **

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**Chapter 1: L'inattendu**

**March 01st, 2018 | SHINO's Tokyo | 7:14 PM**

The longtime friends and colleagues of French cuisine chef Shinomiya Kojiro were sitting at their tables.

Inui Hinako, her arms crossed, covering the neckline of her simple long-sleeved, knee-high red dress was about to lay back in her seat yet straightened her position as soon as she remembered that Chapelle-sensei was seated at the neighbouring table to her right.

The twenty-seven-year-old Totsuki alum felt her cheeks get red with each passing second. _How rude of you Shinomiya-senpai, to keep invited guests waiting this long!_ She began to grumble under her breath after her thought.

She one of the cartoonish faces that she was known for among the group."What a narcissistic, boneheaded stubborn mule he is!" Although after a few more seconds had passed, her face had turned back normal the field of vision of her dark purple eyes just revealed her red flat dress shoes. "I hope he's alright," she inadvertently spoke out.

"I also wish the same for him." Chapelle-sensei added. "As many times as I've encountered that young man, he has always been as punctual as one can be." A small half smile momentarily formed on the stern lecturer's face as he reminisced how Shinomiya was always the first student present for each of his taught lectures.

"Perhaps one of should call the hotel again to see if Shinomiya-san has checked in yet?" Donato Gotouda suggested.

"He hasn't picked up any of our calls." Sekimori Hitoshi looked at his phone.

"I admit, for someone with his attitude it this seem all that surprising to me." Mizuhara Fuyumi remarked in her usual deadpan tone. "Still, maybe we should ask Dojima-senpai if he's seen him."

Everyone's attention turned to the sound of the restaurant's front door opening.

"It's great to be back!" A more than familiar from a specific Totsuki student had called out from the doorway.

"Yukihira! You can't blurt out something that in someone else's business, even if you did spend time training here!" Takumi scolded.

"Nii-chan, your voice is just as loud as his was." Isami Aldini pointed out.

"My bad, Isami," the older twin brother said in a quieter tone.

"Hey, something feels a little different about this place." Soma looks around his surroundings with curious golden eyes. "Can't really put my finger on it." He crossed his left arm on his chest while his right hand was balled in a fist with his index finger tapping on the right corner of his mouth.

The kitchen door smoothly glides open not making a single sound. "Welcome to SHINO's Tokyo." Gao Wei greeted the enlarging group of people entering the restaurant with a polite smile.

"Hey, it's been a while." Soma smiled back cheerfully.

"Hey Yukihira," Lucie lightly patted his back. "You didn't forget about us after getting back to Totsuki did you?" The blue haired young woman questioned with a bright smile.

"Of course not." Soma assured in response, expressing an identical quantity of cheeriness.

The two older women began to ask multiple questions along with giving pleasant comments to their former Stagiaire coworker.

"You're looking pretty great in that suit." Lucie's grin showed no sign of fading.

Soma laughed and rubbed the back of his spiky red hair. "Well, I figured since I'm coming back to Master's place I'd do a little dressing up." Although not in his more laid back choice of wardrobe, the second-year high school student was dressed in a black blazer with a very dark red pocket square and dress pants, plain dress shirt, a striped burgundy neck tie under a same coloured vest with white matching buttons.

"Have you been sleeping well? You barely did when you were training here." Wei questioned with a worrying look on her face.

"What about eating? You kids need to keep up your strength while you can." Lucie interjected.

"How are you're grades progressing?" Wei continued the seemingly endless amount of questions.

_Is this payback for the questions I asked during the stagiaire?_ Soma thought to himself.

"You know you and your classmates here are at that age where you have to spend as much being young as you are." Lucie patted his back.

Wei nodded in agreement and raised a finger near the bottom of her chin. "As much fun as it is being a chef. You need to have as much fun being a high school student."

Soma's fellow dorm mates Ryoko and Yuki and friend Ikumi were closely watching the scene. In the manga they would be drawn chibi-style with blank white eyes and whispering comments among them.

"There talking to him like he's their little brother coming home from school." Ryoko whispered among them.

"Well, I guess it's kind of understandable since he does live in a dorm owned by the school." Yuki joked playfully stuck out her tongue, her green eyes where closed and had a smiling formation pointed upright.

"It's a real change from complete strangers challenging him to a shokugeki." Ikumi spoke further.

For a moment there was a buzz of silence among the trio. "It does feel odd."

"So what do you think Megumi?" Yuki asked in her usual cheeriness.

When not receiving an immediate reply, the three looked around.

"Megumi?" Ryoko lightly called out.

"She's over there." Shun pointed to where the blue-haired girl and professor Jun Shiomi were being unwillingly cuddled by an overexcited starry-eyed Hinako.

"You were quick to point out at that weren't you, Ibusaki-kun?" Ryoko teased him.

"Just pointing out the obvious." Shun replied.

The entryway door swinged open.

Totsuki Villa head chef Dojima Gin, former Totsuki academy headmaster Nakiri Senzaemon and The Wandering Chef, Yukihira Joichiro enter.

"Oh grandfather you made it!" Nakiri Alice cheered from across the room with a goofy grin happily grinning.

The eldest Nakiri figure lightly blushed and cleared his throat. "Hello to the both of you." Although he was at the opposite of the large room, he spoke as if he was just inches aways from his grandchildren.

"Alice, this isn't the dorm that you can just blurt out whatever you want to say." The current Totsuki headmaster Nakiri Erina lectured her cousin.

"Oh come Erina, I was just happy to see grandfather after such a long time. Aren't _you_?" The pale white girl in a simple purple evening gown teased.

_We talked to him yesterday._ Erina pinched one of the light blue gems on her necklace that matched with her light blue dress and white scarf. "O-of course I am! Why wouldn't I be?!"

"If you _really_ were then you would've said it already." Alice continued with her the goofy chibi expression.

Erina's face turned red. "I'm just saying that it is impolite to be shouting a public place! You should wait for the person to be greeted in a more appropriate volume of voice!"

"It's also impolite to not greet a member of your own family as soon as they come through the door." Alice commented. "Not to mention _starting_ _an_ _argument_ in the middle of a dining room." The elder Nakiri daughter snickered. "It would've been better to it now instead of arguing with me, right? You're talking quite loud you know."

"Oh don't act all high and mighty. You didn't even say hello to Saiba-sama or Chef Dojima."

"That's because family comes first and they should be greeted first~." Alice replied with her typical sing-songy cheerfulness. She then turned to her aide wearing a black dress shirt under a golden-button silver black vest with his blazer resting on his left arm.

"Yes, milday?" Kurokiba Ryo asked in his usual tone of voice.

"Seriously Ryo-kun? Haven't you been paying attention at all since we've got here?"

"Yes, I have."

"Well you know that I'm the one whose right, aren't you?"

"I think you both made some good points." Ryo replied.

The half-Scandinavian girl puffed her cheeks and frowned. "What is the matter with you?!" she began to slap his back loudly and repeatedly.

Ryo moaned in slight annoyance as she continued.

"Why can't you just act more like Hishoko-chan and respect me the way she respects Erina?!" Alice continued to slap his back.

"Don't call me that!" Hisako called out.

In the opposite side of the room there was an additional argument executed between the Yukihira father-son duo.

"Quit messin' with my hair!" Soma shouted.

"C'mon Soma. Is that anyway to talk to your one and only precious dad?" Joichiro laughed as he continued to ruffle his son's spiky locks. "You gotta admit that you like it when I show up once in a while, right?"

"You always show up randomly out of nowhere! How did you even know where I was old man?!" Soma looked at his father with a blank white eyes and bent eyebrows.

Joichiro gave his son a smug grin. "What? You didn't know I was invited?"

Soma scanned his father's clothing ensemble of casual jeans, shirt and light spring jacket. "You got invited and that's what you put on?"

"Geez, give me I break will ya?" Joichiro wrapped his brawny arm around Soma's shoulder. "I ended up getting some work in Madrid and then I hopped on the closest flight I could get on time." Joichiro laughed. "You wouldn't believe how long I had to wait to hitch a ride when I landed over there!"

Lucie and Wei were standing side by side near the kitchen door, watching the occurrences in front of them.

"So much for the demanded request of keeping the volume down." Lucie hung her head below.

"Things are certainly getting lively." Wei chuckled nervously.

"Does this mean we both have to share dish duty?" The two women moaned as the question was thought aloud by the both of them.

Soma frowned. "So you couldn't pick some nicer looking clothes before getting here?" He continued to question his father's laid back choice of clothing.

"Oh, you're still going on about that? Who would've thought that you'd be acting a tightwad after getting the First Seat?"

"This place is important to me Pops, and Master Shinomiya isn't here yet!"

"Well he won't coming here any faster with your yelling!"

"I'm ain't the only one yelling!"

Takumi pointed at Soma in annoyance. "Do you need to be reminded to keep your voices down as Chef Shinomiya requested?!"

"Nii-chan, do you need to?" Isami asked his older twin brother snickering.

"No, l don't Isami." The blonde twin spoke more calmly as he fixed his black bow tie.

The two brothers were among the remaining group to witness the still quarrelling Yukihira family of two who were now arguing about a different topic.

Soma pointed at his father's chest. "Alright there's only to settle this. Let's have a shokugeki right now!"

Joichiro crossed his arm and smirked. "Deal! Loser has to eat an experiment!"

"You're on!" Soma agreed to the condition.

The red-haired teenager turned towards the direction of the restaurant's boucher and costumer service manager. "Wei-san, Lucie-san is it okay if we use the kitchen?"

"No." The two women swiftly rejected the request.

Wei cleared her throat. "Chef Shinomiya, requests others also included not having any cooking battles."

Hinako made a disappointed face and pouted. "So there won't any revenge match for that battle that happened at the training camp?"

Fuyumi gave the brunette woman quick slap in the face.

The last statement caught the attention of Senzaemon. "I don't recall hearing about an event of that nature."

Chappelle-sensei interjected, "I am also not sure why that rumor started."

Senzaemon turned his head looking at his granddaughters and their personal aides, along with Hayama Akira. "You were also present at last year's camp. Do you know anything about this?"

The faces of Gin, Fuyumi, Sekimori, and Donato and Megumi had become nervous. Soma's however, was not as he was enjoying their reaction.

Erina shook her head. "The very thought of a mere student to even request a battle of a graduate would've been expelled immediately..."

"Oh come on Erina," her cousin interrupted. "Even if it did happen, there's nothing wrong with admitting it wouldn't have not been fun to watch."

Erina cheeks grew red. "You knew that I wasn't going to say that, Alice!"

Senzaemon cleared his throat. "Very well, let's put that rumor to rest then, it was a year ago after all."

"Of course, grandfather." Erina responded with a blush, as Alice chimed.

"Speaking of rumors," Gin changed the subject hurriedly, "which ones about Shinomiya are actually true?"

"I apologize, but the only one who can confirm anything is himself." Wei politely dismissed his question.

_I wonder what started those rumors anyway. __They pretty much came out of nowhere._ Soma thought to himself. _He's coming back to Tokyo because of them...so they really that serious?_ _What's the big deal?_

The restaurant's head chef, Abel Blondin came out of the kitchen with his cellphone in hand. His face appeared weary as his light blue eyes looked strained as a reddish hue overlapped his pupils.

He cleared his throat. "Sorry for keeping you all waiting but Chef Shinomiya informed me that he will be arriving later then expected."

Hinako frowned and pouted. "Who does Shinomiya-senpai think he is?! He's such an arrogant, narcissistic, bonehead poser."

"You forgot to call me a mule this time." Fuyumi commented.

"Weren't you worried about Shinomiya-san a while ago?" Donato asked his batch mate.

"She definitely was." Chef Sekimori added.

"Chef Inui, please control your noise volume to a minimum." Wei politely gave her the reminder.

Hinako sighed. "Your right," she apologized. "I wouldn't want to scare my Megumi-chan." The brunette woman stared with starstruck eyes and a tiny cat smile at the nervous blue-haired girl wearing a yellow dress tied a white ribbon tied to the side, quickly writing the kanji character for 'person' on her hand repeatedly.

"Tadokoro-san," Arato Hisako stood next to her, "you aren't putting enough weight on the stroke and you need to switch from adding weight to your elbow, not your wrist."

"R-right!" Megumi complied with blank white eyes fixated at the palm of her hand.

"Too late..." Ryoko, Yuki, and Ikumi said quietly in unison observing their nervous friend.

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More time passed by as they invited parties await for the usually punctual restaurant owner to still arrive. Nearly an hour had already passed since the Soma and company arrival.

Once again, Hinako's worrying feelings took over her thoughts.

Her mind pondered all the way back to nearly a full year prior during the first day of that training camp where the then stagnant Shinomiya called her cell phone, reprimanded the female chef for bringing back her group of students back to the hotel late. The notion of him becoming burnt out after winning the Pluspol Award didn't enter her mind, as she simply wanted to interact with him, similar to their school days.

Next, Hinako's mind flash-backed to that moment nearly eleven years ago, when he revealed his long-kept secret of moving to France right after graduation. The sudden shock of the news caused her to immediately worry for his well being mostly due to his aggressive nature and how it could create a negative reputation in the the land of haute cuisine. His physical response of lifting her by her head was to be expected, however the hopeful smile he made after looking up to the sky above, it slightly reassured her that he would eventually succeed. Nonetheless, her temporary grudge towards him until their food battle hindered her effort of wanting to confess to him.

_Being late...is so unlike him._ Hinako closed her purple eyes tightly resisting the urge to make any tears. She rested her head on the table. _He's hiding something from me again.'_Her mind starting to grow weary from the older memories and new worries conjuring one after the other. _Is it possible that him coming back to Japan, only because of these rumors, or is this the only way of him telling us that something big happened to him?_

While continuing to rest to her head, she clenched the hand sitting freely on her shaking lap. _I don't know how long I can keep doing this anymore... Tonight... I have to tell him._

Donato attempted to extend his hand towards his batchmate, but was stopped by Fuyumi.

The aburge owner looked over his shoulder and saw Hitoshi nodding in agreement.

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The amount of time that had flown by had now reached was over thirty minutes.

The clock on her phone read that it was nearly eight-thirty, made Hinako sigh to herself again.

A familiar timid voice approached her ears. "Chef Inui, are you alright?"

Hinako simply nodded in response. "I'm just a little tired."

Megumi's smiled in relief. "I'm glad to hear that-!"

Hinako suddenly placed her hands into the blue-haired girl's, causing the teenager to nervously blush. "After all how could I be sad when my Megumi-chan, is this close to me?" The woman's lustful tone followed contradicted the gentle feeling of her hand gestures. "You'd still be a cute menu item to indulge in."

_Even when she's tired, she can still be scary... _Megumi nervously thought as Hinako pulled her into a forced cuddle.

The teenager still couldn't help but keep feeling that something was still unresolved within the older woman. Megumi tried to think of a certain quality of the woman before her, to help ease herself. _At least she's not a bad person._

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As the minutes, continue to tick away, Hinako's state of mind remained uneasy. _Shinomiya-senpai, if you don't show up soon and explain what's going on... _Her face turned cartoonish as it grew red. _I'm going to be very upset, with you!_

The immature sounding thought then brought up the images of the very grudge she had with him, the memories of ignoring his calls and walking away in a huff, glaring at him during the sushi dinner at their upperclassman's then newly opened restaurant. Then running away from the group with tear-filled eyes only to be challenged to a food battle which determined whether or not Shinomiya stayed in Japan. She recalled the look on his face after that event.

She was still upset about his departure. The way he smally smiled at her and the gentle way he laid his hand on top of her dark brown hair. Those words: "You better catch up to me Hinako", echoed in the back of her mind.

_Why?_ Her clenched her teeth and squeezed her violet-coloured tareme eyes, halting the formation of tears. _Why am I having such a hard time with all of this? It wasn't even as hard as it was back then... Does Shinomiya-senpai have such a big announcement...that I won't be able to finally tell him after all?_

Hinako continue to feel the heat from her face after she rested her forehead on her arm.

However, she did take some comfort relief that the pink-haired chef did not mention to be in love with another woman, as well as never being involved in any long-term relationship.

Fuyumi, Donato and Hitoshi continue to quietly observe their longtime friend from a short distance.

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Each minute that ticked away went by as if it was an eternity.

The nauseating feeling in Hinako's chest was starting to become numb.

Her phone battery was draining as she continued to stare at the unsent, drafted text massage. _He still didn't reply to the other ones, what are the chances this one will do any good?_

She tilted her head back and sank in her chair, stretching her tired arms. _I've got an early day tomorrow. Maybe I should just leave and have somebody else fill me on senpai's announcement._

The sound of the restaurant's front slowly door opening caught the attention of everyone inside, silencing their own personal conversations.

Hinako's eyes widen as she was doubting the sight before her.

Before her, was a sight that she did not except from the stern and extremely uptight chef, especially now of all times.

Hinako's body was frozen into where she stood. _I get it now, this is why you arranged all of this._

She placed her right fist in the middle of her chest, trying to prevent another stream of tears- this time as a sign of relief. _What could be more important than announcing a new role in your life. Congratulations, Shinomiya-senpai, I hope you get all of the support you need._

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**Thank you for reading this chapter of my new story. Please provide any review you have no matter how long or short. If you have any questions or even suggestions for the future, please send them to my PM inbox.**


	2. Chapter 2

**I do not own Shokugeki no Soma anime and manga or any of the in-series characters. Just my OC's.**

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**Chapter 2: The Arrival that brought more Questions | L'arrivée qui avait apporté plus de questions**

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The atmosphere had changed from its vibrant liveliness to a pin drop silence.

The same time that had been endlessly ticking away throughout the entire evening stopped all at once for Hinako.

A wave of relief and curiosity riddled anxiousness overflow her sensitive, warn heart. _This whole time, I thought waiting to see if he was alright was bothering me the most,'_ she swallowed. _'Are we really that out of touch, Shinomiya-senpai? After all of these years, how could you hide something as big as this from me?_

Her mind flashbacked to her brash reaction after his announcement to move to France on his own. The anxiety which she felt for his well-being seemed like a different level altogether.

Her field of vision then focused on the sight that nearly stole her breath away.

Shinomiya Kojiro and walked in with holding onto a car seat with his left hand and a black bag on his right shoulder. He turned to the nearest table, placing the portable seat onto the table and the bag onto the chair.

The red-eyed, twenty-nine-year-old male was standing next to his mother who was lovingly holding a small, pink blanket which wrapped around a newborn-looking child. She was sleeping soundly with a pacifier nearly covering the entire bottom of her mouth and chin while wearing a slightly oversized wool hat covering downward to the bottom of her forehead.

Kojiro looked over at his mother on his right side holding a small bottle in between them. "Mom," he spoke with his heavy Kyushu accent. "Do ya mind givin' her this in the back? I gotta clear the air with some explainin'."

"Sure." Kojiro's mother changed the holding position, supporting her granddaughter with one arm and took the plastic liquid container.

"Like I said earlier, if she can't finish the wh'le thing, there ain't no use keepin' the rest of it." Kojiro reminded her. "After that, ya just gotta tell me how much she ate so I can keep track of it, 'kay?"

"Yeah, yeah. I don't need any repeatin'." She smiled back at her son.

As Kojiro's mother had to walk over to the back, the chef's face returned to his regular stern demeanor and posture. "You three," he pointed to Abel, Lucie and Wei, "go back in and check what needs to taken care of."

"Oui, Chef." The three staff members quickly obliged.

Abel opened the door for all of them to enter the kitchen.

"It's great to see you again, Master." Soma grinned. "Man, you really caught me off guard with this surprise of yours." The red haired teenager laughed. "I didn't think you'd be the one to give a lot of surprises."

Megumi looked at him with slight nervousness. "W-welcome back to Japan, Coach." The occurance of witnessing him speaking with his mother caught her offguard. She told at her spot with blank white irises and thick black circles for eyes, while her mouth was a small, gaping pink circle. _What in tarnation?! He was talking to his mother in a different dialect! S-so...that means that he's from the countryside?_ Then, sudden feelings of confidence began bubbling inside deep within her.

Soma continued to look at Kojiro with a great deal of delighted admiration. "It's really awesome that you got me another sibling pupil Master!" He extended his arm and gestured a thumbs-up.

Kojiro looked back slightly annoyed, "what are you going on about Yukihira? And knock it off with that Master bit." A red tic appeared next to his chin.

Takumi stood next to Soma with a questioning look on his face, "I still don't follow this whole sibling pupil logic myself."

Soma, still having blank white eyes and a silly smile, "oh well, this scenario isn't exactly the same like back then, but in a way it is at the same time."

Takumi was confused once more. "I still don't understand what you are trying to get at."

Soma-kun is right, I understand what he's saying!" Megumi spoke with an aura brimming with confidence and excitement.

Takumi directed his attention towards her calmly. "I don't think that this situation calls for your other persona, Tadokoro-san."

Hinako inhaled and exhaled. In a manga, she would be mustering any remaining stamina on performing a chibi face complete with the thick black circle eyes and rounded face while keeping a surprised expression.

She went over to the blue-haired girl whose persona was still shining through. She immediately hugged her from the side and began to cuddle her like earlier. "Megumi-chan's confidence is so cute on her." Hinako's playful tone was preceded by the familiar starry-eyed look and cat smile. "I can't wait to train her someday."

Megumi's dubbed 'Sports-Shojo Manga Mode' instantly deflated. _So much for that,_ she thought disappointingly as wavy dark blue lines radiated upward above her head and both shoulders, as other same coloured lines had streamed down blank, round white eyes, resembling tears.

Fuyumi and Donato put a stop to this by dragging Hinako back to where she previously stood.

Megumi's face showed some relief and thought about the older woman. _She must be really upset about something, there wasn't that much force, kind of like a little earlier. I have no idea what it could be. She said that she was tired before... She could've had a bad day... I guess there's a lot of possible factors, but it's not really my place to meddle._

"Oh I almost forgot to ask," Soma looked back at Kojiro curiously. "What's your kid's name?"

Kojiro, who figured that the question would eventually be asked was trying to maintain his calm composure, and trying not to smile. He crossed his arms and turned his neck in his Soma's direction. "Angélique." He spoke in his usual serious tone.

In the near back of the restaurant, Joichiro crosses his arms on his broad chest, and lowered his head as his lips formed a small smirk.

Gin's own vision was quickly caught on towards his old high school friend's demeanor. He found his lack of acting surprise suspicious.

Soma wore an excited chibi face with large white eyes and upside down triangular smile. "Oh, that's sounds really fancy! I never heard of a name like that before." A question mark like cloud appeared above his head, the enthusiasm of his tone downgraded to confusion. "Uh, what does it mean?"

Takumi tapped his shoulder.

Soma turned around with the same questioning expression on his face. "Oh do you know what it means, Takumi?"

The blonde-haired boy nodded. "Of course I do Yukihira. Angélique and its Italian variant, Angelica share the meanings that translate to angelic."

Soma grinned happily. "Oh, seriously? I like it even more now that I know what it means!" He turned back to Kojiro and gives him a thumbs up. "Nice job, Master!" he spoke excitedly.

Kojiro gave a slight glare. _As if I needed anyone else's approval...but why does hearing that putting me in a better mood?_

Soma still continued to ask questions. "How'd you come up with it?"

Kojiro turned his head away, having his mind wander, in reminiscence. _I didn't think of it on the spot. It was one of the hardest things I had to come up with, I almost gave up entirely. But as soon as I remembered the feathers I saw on her during that damn nightmare. After seeing something that terrifying...what happened after I woke up was even more scary. The idea of that name was one of the easiest things I could've done for her in the end. Now she has my last name. She'll never be without one again, for as long as she lives._

He snapped himself out of his brief trance and looked back towards Soma. A dark purple background gave off a menacing vibe. "I don't see how that's any of your business. There's no need to divulge that to you of all people."

Soma stood there with his blank white eyes chibi face. _My bad, I should've figured this would happen._

Kojiro's eyes glanced at the quietly upset Hinako sitting a few feet away. _So much for explaining everything properly,_ he thought with a sigh.

He realized that he had yet to shake Ronald's hand personally and walked over to the back.

He cleared his throat and extended his hand forward. "It's been a few months since we've seen each other Chapelle-sensei."

Ronald reciprocated placing his hand with his former student's. "So it has. It seems you've taken my advice of moving yourself forward to heart," a gentle smile appeared on the former mentor's face. "I'm quite flattered."

Kojiro's lightly nodded in response. "Sir."

The coral-haired man felt a brawny arm around his neck. "Welcome back." Joichiro grinned. "How was the flight over here?"

"It was nothing special." Kojiro replied to the elder Yukihira. _The damn first class seats didn't have a skycot, and the car seat couldn't fit in the one the plane. I had to hold her the whole time because I forgot to take out the carrier of my suitcase before boarding. I'm exhausted, my arms are killing me and I need to take another nap._

"It's good to see you again, Shinomiya" Gin extended his hand.

"Thanks Dojima-san." He shook the hand of his former upperclassman.

Senzaemon, still looking just as intimidating yet wise momentarily reminding Kojiro of his student days. The Food Demon also approached him with an extended hand.

"Thank you for coming, Senzaemon-dono." Kojiro reciprocated by pressing his strong hand with his former headmaster.

The eldest Nakiri nodded in response. "Parenting is something that should barely be taken lightly or harshly. I wish you the best of luck."

Kojiro nodded in acknowledgement. _I'll have to make sure to keep that in mind, especially in my case._

_Lightly or harshly? By that does he mean...?_ Erina blinked her purple-pinkish eyes to clear her mind.

* * *

The stern chef then sat down on a chair very close to him. _I haven't heard her crying. She basically slept through the whole flight, even when I had to wake her up for something- her eyes would magically open, with almost no effort on my part._

Another question came to Soma's mind. "How to you write Angélique in Japanese, Master? I bet it looks really pretty in hiragana." He blurted out towards Kojiro.

Kojiro took a sip of wine and had a weary, annoyed look. "Why in hiragana?"

"No special reason. I just thought it might look nice, that way." Soma gestured over to where Ikumi was. "It spells out Nikumi nicely, so what's the harm in it your kid's name?"

Ikumi's face went red. "Y-you don't to call me that wherever we are, Yukihira! I have a real name dammit!"

"Soma-kun, I think you need to calm down on asking all these questions." Megumi advised in her typical soft-spoken voice.

"I agree with Tadokoro-san." Takumi interjected. "At least wait a little while before you asked another one."

Soma again had the pair of big blank white eyes along with a small circular shaped pink-coloured mouth. "No prob. I guess I got a little too excited."

Kojiro glared at the red-haired teenager. "You were."

"My bad, Master." Soma apologized.

* * *

Everyone else soon got caught up in there own conversations.

Hinako, now slightly reenergized went up to the pink-haired man, equipped with her phone in hand and a teasing smile. "Shinoniya-senpai," she began to whisper.

He sighed in response. "What is it, Hinako?"

Hinako snickered quietly as her lips were getting closer towards his left ear. "Megumi-chan and Angélique-tan have the same amount of romaji characters. Is that just a really big coincidence because they are both really cute?"

A red tic appeared on the side of Kojiro's forehead. _Give Angélique a better honorific!_

"Also," Hinako continued to whisper. "Do you know that you're dressed up like a dad on TV." The burnette chuckled loudly. "You look so cool!"

The pink-haired father looked down to his chosen attire for the evening. He was wearing a long, formal medium gray, wool cable-knitted cardigan with a white dress shirt, black tie and black vest.

Kojiro gritted his teeth and dope slapped Hinako's head. "Go back to your seat."

* * *

Kojiro's mother reentered the dining room.

He glanced, seeing a beaming smile across her face.

He smiled into his glass as while taking another sip.

Then, he stood up taking away the emptied plastic bottle and putting it back inside the large, black carry on bag. "Everythin' all right back in there? From my end, I thought it was super quite." Kojiro's hometown accent slipped through.

His mother chuckled. "Yer chaffin' me again? I ain't never seen such a big wide kitchen. The whole time I was in there I couldn' believe it was only just one room..."

Kojiro was trying not to blush. "My other one is a wh'le lot bigger, then is one 'ere."

His mother was slightly taken aback. "Now I know that yer makin' fun of me."

"Nah, its true. The dining room's 'bout four times bigger to. I swear. It's got our name on the sign and in big lights and everything."

"Now, your just braggin'." She lightly poked his arm.

"My staff give you a nice dinner?"

"Yup, I can't remember the last time I had something that delicious since you invited me before." She smiled. "You've got real nice workers."

Kojiro lightly smiled, "she didn't give you any trouble while you we're feeding her?" He referred to the now awoken small infant resting on her shoulder.

"Not at all," the elder Shinomiya gently stroked the top of Angélique's downy golden blonde hair and downward her back. "She only drank about half of the bottle."

Kojiro nodded in acknowledgement. _Angélique is supposed to have an extra small stomach, giving her a double feeding is out of the question. Plus consistent drowsiness doesn't help either._

"Poor thing got a little sweaty again while she was eating to," his mother looked a little concerned.

"Like I said before, that's pretty normal for her." He tried to reassured her.

"She still gave me a real big smile, just as big then earlier. Yer real lucky to get such a sweetie." She blushed.

Kojiro bit his lip, trying not to blush himself. "If you're gettin' tired of holding her, you can put her in this," he gestured towards the car seat next to him.

"Why not have someone else hold her?" His mother suggested.

Kojiro scanned the room, looking around as whose the least occupied, he then heard a familiar voice catching him somewhat off guard, "Shinomiya-senpai," he turned around.

Hinako's chibi had very thick black outlines with her violet irises replaced with white, blank ones. She had two round fists for hands and light blue sweat drops appeared to be coming out from the sides of her head. She spoke in a timid voice, "if I'm not out of line. I-I want to ask you if I can...hold her for a little?"

_Why are you acting so shy all of sudden?!_ Kojiro furrowed his eyebrows.

"Does she want to hold her?" His mother innocently questioned, due to not being fluent in any of the Tokyo dialects.

Kojiro straightened his face. "Yeah, she does."

The elder woman turned to the young brunette woman with a warm smile, and looked back to Kojiro. "I don't see the harm, she seems like a nice person. You wouldn't invite her if she wasn't."

Kojiro bit his lip and went searching in his carry-on bag. He took out a small bottle of unscented hand sanitizer and handed it over to the other chef. "Don't waste any of it."

Within a few moments, the feather light bundle was gently nestled in Hinako's arms.

Angélique was being held in a cradle hold as her royal azure eyes closed for more slumber. The newborn-looking infant's whole hand wrapped around the female adult's index finger. A content smile grew on both the child's small lips, as well as Hinako's.

_She's even more adorable up close. To have a chance to hold senpai's child... Its actually really..._ The brunette's blissful moment was interrupted by a troubled thought. Hinako realized how oddly short the sleeping Parisian infant's body is, as the blanket was fully wrapped around the tiny body, the bottom of it lightly touched the adult woman's knee. _Is there more then one secret about her? I have no idea, but something is definitely strange about all of this. Is she the reason behind senpai is closing this branch for a whole year?_ The brunette's momentary distraction paused as the Angélique curled up and nuzzled against her chest. She reciprocated by gently gliding her slender finger on Angélique's soft, thin cheek. The instant relief subdued the tension building up in her chest for the final hours of six weeks spent worrying about Kojiro.

Kojiro's glower suddenly changed into a gaze of being wonderstruck by the sight. The sharpness of his amber eyes transformed into a soft awe. _Why does it have to be this way? _The shine reflecting off his eyeglass lenses blocked anyone else from noticing.

* * *

Hinako was still lovingly holding onto Angélique while sitting in between Fuyumi and Donato.

Soma, who had taken off his blazer, vest and tie and opened the first two top buttons of his white dress shirt.

The red-haired teen was standing in front of Kojiro who was sitting in the front of the dining room eating his dinner with his staff trio.

_Oh great, now what does he want?_ Kojiro sensed his presence coming closer.

"Uh, Master," Soma said in a somewhat timid voice.

"What Yukihira?"

Soma's face became slightly red as he rubbed the back of his head. "Can I have a turn holding Angé please?"

"Oh, Yukihira-kun, you want a turn to?" Hinako suddenly came up next to him. "You have to be extra careful." She smiled cheerfully.

Kojiro gave the brunette woman a glance with his tired eyes. _Don't pass off someone else's kid like its a toy!_

Soma looked back at Kojiro with more excitement in his golden eyes. "Is it alright?" The red haired teenager pointed at a playfully smiling Alice sitting in the way back, "my friend over there gave me some sanitizer after I washed my hands". Next he pointed to Erina, who was in between Senzaemon and Alice. "Nakiri made us get the flu shot again." He then pointed out towards Joichiro, "my old man told to take some of my stuff of so nothing bothers her when I'm holding her."

"Sounds right to me." Hinako grinned. "What are you waiting for?"

Soma looked at the older woman sgain wearing the white, blank eyes and a tiny pink circular shaped mouth. "Uh actually," he rubbed the back of his back again and pointed to Megumi, "Tadokoro said that I should ask Master first, like you did."

Soma turned to Kojiro again waiting for his response.

Kojiro took a sip of wine from the same glass as before. He kept his vision fixated on the dark red liquid. "We're closing up soon, so keep it short."

Soma made a happy face with the same blank eyes and an upside down triangular mouth. "Thank you."

The newborn-looking infant was then transferred from the brunette woman to the high school boy.

Angélique nuzzled lightly against his chest, although her lips did not crack a smile, similar to when she was with Hinako.

He turned to the elder Aldini brother and his best friend from the dorm. "Hey, you guys a turn? She's your sibling pupil to."

Takumi politely refused the offer.

Megumi's face a reddish hue before she nervously declined.

As someone who grew up in a close-knit community like the Sumire District, a few of things caught Soma's attention. _She's smaller than I thought. I don't think I've held anything this light before. _His golden eyes averted his vision from the sleeping child in his arms and once again looked at Kojiro then back to Angélique. _So, does this mean that Master's going raise her all by himself? That's gonna be tough. Maybe I can ask Dad to go over to his place and help him out once in a while._ His mind then shifted to another thought. _If Mom were here, she'd really like holding Angé, wouldn't she?_

Just then, Soma felt a strong hand lay on top of his right shoulder. "Hey Soma, why not take a photo?" His father's voice met with his eardrums.

Soma looked at Joichiro and nodded in response. "Yeah, sure. Angé is really cute."

"Figured you'd say that." Joichiro wrapped his brawny arm around Soma's neck while his phone was turned sideways to take a wideview snapshot with both of the Yukihira family members grinning happily.

* * *

Joichiro took Angélique with him back to the table, he shared with Gin, Senzaemon and Jun.

Hisako, Erina, Alice and Ryou were sitting at the next table.

"She's rather adorable once you get a more closer look." Alice smiled nicely as she turned her neck to notice her cousin's face.

Erina was sitting tight-lipped and trying her best not to show a hint of nervousness. _Why did Saiba-sama have to bring that child so close to our table? Does that mean I'm also obligated to act the same as everyone else?_

"Oh, sorry Erina," Alice put her hand on her shoulder. "I forgot how _bad_ you are with children younger than you, and how much _better_ I am." She gloated.

Erina responded with an embarrassed glare. _This is not that right time or place to make fun of me!_

* * *

In the opposite side of the dining area, Soma was once again attempting to spark a conversation with Kojiro, making the latter so annoyed that, the red-haired teenaged boy was the given a specific limit of three questions left to ask for the remainder of the evening.

"So, Master how old is Angé?"

_He's not a medical professional so I don't really need to get so into the details... But then again Angélique doesn't look like what properly developed infants look like._ The coral-haired father sighed, "she's two months."

_So she was born before the rumors started._ Hinako felt a dull pinch in her chest.

Soma nodded in response as a second inquiry came about in his mind. "How long are you gonna be staying for?"

"We're supposed to be leaving Friday afternoon."

Hinako invaded their conversation. "You're going back that soon? That's not fair at all!" She furrowed her thin eyebrows and crossed her arms, making a silly face. _I doubt I'll even get the chance to really talk to him..._

Soma sighed. "I'm with Inui-senpai on this one, Master. That doesn't give a lot of time to hang out much."

Kojiro tightened his jaw and averted his vision away momentarily. _It can't be any longer than that. I was only able to bring enough medic-!_ His anxious thinking was soon interrupted by a rather unfamiliar presence.

"I've got an idea. We should have a party. It'll be my treat, of course." Alice made a chibi-face as she stood holding onto her cousin's hand.

_Did she really need to drag me with her, just to say that?_ Erina cleared her throat. "I won't be able to come, I have a lot of work to do until the upcoming term begins."

Alice pouted as a red tic appeared near her mouth. "Oh come Erina! Ever since you've taken your post as director we've barely, barely, _barely _spent any time together! I already made up my mind and you are going to be there! Otherwise I'll drag you out myself!" She huffed.

Erina began to thinking to herself. _If I reject any further her she'll pester me to no end. There's no use in arguing with her._ The young headmistress cleared her throat again. "Very well."

The blonde haired girl turned to her best friend. "Hisako, what time will I have my free period that day?"

Hisako proceeded to take out her phone and scroll through the calendar. "Well Erina-sama you a meeting with some-!"

Alice again puffed her cheeks in disapproval. "You both are coming before it starts, and that also means you need to bring a gift."

Erina glaring in annoyance. "I can't just drop everything and go somewhere that is not a part of my scheduled agenda."

Senzaemon witnessing the spat between his only grandchildren quietly and patiently stood behind them. "Erina, with your permission, I would like take over your responsibilities for that day."

Erina began to blush. "I suppose that would be-" she stopped mid-sentence as she noticed her cousin's crying cartoonish face.

Alice's red eyes started to tear up. "Y-you mean you don't want to spend any quality time with me either, Grandfather?" She sniffled.

Senzaemon went pale for a mere second. "No, it isn't like that at all Alice..."

The elder Nakiri girl instantly perked up. "Oh, so will come?"

Erina sighed in surrender. _There really is no way out of this. She completely made up her mind._

She drew her attention back towards her cousin. "There's no need to go on about convincing me."

Then, she turned her neck see speak to her trusted aide. "Hisako, in the morning please notify everyone that the meetings will have to be postponed as soon as possible."

Hisako nodded. "Of course."

Alice suddenly gave Erina a sideways hug. "Yay!" She cheered.

Erina in response glanced sideways in annoyance while trying to hide that she was blushing.

Watching the scene unfold before him Gin chuckled and looked over to girls' grandfather. "How lucky you are to have such a fun family Senzaemon-dono."

The old man slowly nodded with his arms crossed on his muscular chest a smally smiled.

"Out of curiousity, where will this party take place?" Kojiro questioned out loud.

Alice and Soma looked at each other in a pondering manner for a moment and looked back at Kojiro, ready to give an answer.

"Might I suggest the venue be our beloved Polar Star dormitory?" Satoshi Isshiki said in a whimsical voice.

Kojiro's eyes widen, as if he had nearly forgotten about all those years he said spent as a member during his school days. The sudden mention of the building's name set a tingling sensation through his body.

Hinako was amused over the idea. "Its been a really long time since we had a party over there, right?" She asked Fuyumi and Donato.

Fuyumi nodded in agreement. "It'll be nice to the warden again."

"Oh, we're you guys dorm members to?" Soma questioned the three older adults.

Donato nodded sideways. "We went there so much that we became honorary members, but we did know another student who lived there."

"Just like you guys." Yuki made a playful face, while Ryoko and Megumi nicely smiled as she pointed at Ikumi, Akira, Alice, the Nakiri cousins, Hisako, Ryou & the Aldini twins.

Soma squinted his eyes while thinking. "Gee, I wonder what that member is up to now, it'd be awesome to meet somebody else from the dorm."

Kojiro's focal vision looked past Soma as he continued to observe the sleeping infant in Joichiro's arms. _He became someone who is very grateful to you._

* * *

Hinako and Fuyumi were caught up in their own conversation with the restaurant's head staff.

"You're really going to take us shopping tomorrow morning?" Lucie and Wei thanked them for their thoughtful offer.

"It's the least we can do after all you've been through the past few weeks. We'll pay for whatever you want." Hinako placed her hands on the weary faced women's shoulders.

"Don't remind me," Lucie took a deep breathe in relief. "The orders barely stopped coming in. It's still hard to believe that a whole five weeks had gone by. The work load was three times more then the soft opening. We even had to come in a couple of hours early just for the prepping."

"Some of the regular costumers even reserved tables five times a week. We still managed to have some potential sponsors for the future." Wei reminisced how she had to constantly repeat similar answers why the SHINO's branch while confirming that the building will be discontinuing its operation until the beginning of the next year.

"The main restaurant even has reservations for the people we served here." Abel added to the conversation.

Overhearing the conversation among the group of five happening next to him. _The flagship branch was either double or triple the work of this place. The individual revenues of each branch passed one million, in both euros and yen, because of this the labour hours never even went up more than ten percent in just the first two weeks and continued on not being an issue for the additional four. I won the Pluspol award years ago... But still after the initial rumor started- I had never gotten this much business so far in my role as a chef-owner. As of yesterday, I have a list of fifty potential sponsors to narrow down._

Kojiro looked over to see the time on his wristwatch.

His amber coloured irises widen, a silent panic loomed over the back of his mind, as his softened heart instantly began beating louder.

A bead of sweat formed on his forehead, while his fists latched onto his wool, cable-knitted cardigan. _How could I have let this happen?! I only have forty minutes to get Angélique back to the hotel room before her entire schedule is ruined! _

Given his current situation, and everything he had to automatically adjust to, he told himself to always be on top of everything concerning the unrelated child he had brought into his life with urgency.

Although the infant was born two weeks prior then the first day of his first rumor's circulation- the past seventeen hours of his life were his first of being an official parent.

One of Kojiro's newest fears was that if he somehow slipped up anything involving the well-being of his new child, the foreseeable possible consequences will be permanently irreversible and deeply regretted.

However, taking the situations he is still adjusting towards into consideration, they are definitely justified.

* * *

Kojiro and his family made it back to their shared hotel room soundly.

He heard his mother say that she was going to begin her nightly routine, as the father cautiously laid the sleeping infant on his bed cautiously as trying to not wake her up just yet.

Then he walked to the door to ensure that it has been locked from the inside, he jiggled the doorknob as a definite confirmation.

A rushed wave of frustration comes over him, as his grip of the circular contraption of metal tightened and shaking made a deep clicking sound.

The image of seeing himself break it off faded as the sound of an infant crying reached his ears.

The world-class chef turned his back to the door and looked up from his trance to see his daughter still asleep on the bed. He released his hand within a second. _I don't want to know how much it'll cost to replace it._

All of a sudden, more feelings of frustration came over in.

He formed shaking clenched fists with his strong hands. His frontal vision was soon meet with the front door.

His tall, muscular body trembled momentarily then stopped as slight stiffness occurred.

Kojiro hung his head low and pressed his forehead against the door.

He inhaled deeply as his drying throat struggled to speak out.

His vision blurred as the distressed tears forming in his eyes barely let him normally see his shoes despite wearing eyeglasses.

It took more then a minute to stop the falling liquid exiting from his amber coloured eyes. "I'm sorry Angélique. I couldn't tell them that..."

Kojiro straightened his body, his hands pressed onto the door. "Your entire life could be shorter then how long it will it take to achieve my goal."

* * *

Hinako covered her gaped mouth with her unsteady hands as her heart pounded in her chest.

Her violet pupils had dilated with a mixture of concern and freight.

She squeezed her shimmering eyes, fighting back the tears. _I was right, something is wrong._

After regaining her normal composure and wiping away tears, Hinako began to feel the pressure beneath her feet.

She pressed her hand onto the wooden door. _Shinomiya-senpai, Angélique-chan,_ she bit her lips mid-thought, _I hope I can give you all the support that you both need.  
_

* * *

**Thank you very much for reading this chapter! Please review this, (constructive criticism is encouraged) and also let me know if anyone has a question or even a possible suggestion.**


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